After heavy public criticism, a decision by law makers seem to have gone in favour of the public especially the suffering masses as the proposed toll fee increase is set to be put on hold.
A toll fee increase was slated to take effect in all three gates 1st March, this year according to a government’s decision announced by the Public Works and Assets Minister, Dr Denis Sandy.
Masiaka, Songo and Hastings several kilometres away from the capital city, Freetown have three toll gates collecting money from drivers as laid down in a agreement gone into by the past government and the contractor, the China Railway Seventh Group (CRSG).
Tax for Trucks shot up from Le170, 000 (one hundred and seventy-thousand Leones) to Le750, 000 (seven hundred and fifty thousand Leones), and prices for mini buses and light cars have also risen.
Hasting community in the Western Rural district is 15 miles, east of the capital, Freetown. Reports say the gate could make as much as Le70m a day, but such amount would fall down sharply when the drivers avoid the gate to save their incomes.
The contractor does not realise much from the other tollgates as compared to the main gate at Hastings community.
The situation is dangerous in the face of a sky-rocketed fuel price of Le30, 000 (thirty thousand Leones for a litre with fear that it might further rise. Prices of vehicles and its accessories have risen sharply leaving drivers with little options as dozens have quit the trade.
CRSG will hand over the road facility to government after the stipulated period. Before this time, a taxi pays NLe3 at every toll gate per trip and mini buses pay a bit higher than that figure.
The public was comfortable with the price system, but not the new fee which shows over a 100% increase. The move, many say, is illegal although it is not part of the deal.
The agreement, now eight years old, confers right on the contractor to manage the toll road on a mutual benefit model. Government, before this time, gets 5% out of the gate takes.
However, according to analysts, the agreement contains no clause for the increase of a toll fee at any stage of the agreement’s implementation.
At the moment, there is no sign that government’s move will come to reality as key stakeholders are in direct opposition. Member of parliament in the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party, Ibrahim Tawa Conteh has suggested that the toll fee increase be put on hold until certain procedures are observed.
He made the appeal during parliamentary proceedings that discussed several issues with the toll gate being the most prominent. Nodding in agreement with Honourable Conteh, Speaker of parliament, Dr Abass Chernor Bundu has also ordered that the toll fee increase deferred until parliament is furnished with the traffic data.
It however remains unclear whether the law makers would get the data as demanded, but Dr Bundu minced no word saying no increase would go ahead without parliament’s knowledge and consent.
The minister, Mr Sandy however remains disappointed as he recently announced the new increase in a press briefing held at the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Freetown last week. In what appears an attempt to evade responsibility, the increase, according to the minister said, came from the contractor, a claim that has been disclaimed by the public.
According to sources, the toll fee increase was single-handedly championed by government as CRSG had never made an attempt to announce new charges throughout its existence.
It was an apparent move to generate revenue for a cash-trapped government whose source of revenue has badly contracted after June 24, 2023 elections. The international community (the US, UK, UN, EU, AU, Commonwealth, ECOWAS) have cut off funding for Sierra Leone’s government owing to allegations of election rigging, and called for a probe. They will renew actions only after the conclusion of the tripartite investigation.
Such action by the world powers has left government badly hit finding it difficult to roll out the much-needed development projects, and the public backlash to the toll fare increase worsened an already polarised situation.
Sierra Leone’s domestic revenue is not enough to manage state affairs, and the only way out was either back up or bailouts by development partners. Intermittent waves of protest staged by businessmen and shop owners created a tough situation for government.
It loses billions in taxes at any time the business communityrefuse to sell for a day. Resistance by vehicle owners and drivers would have been the last straw that would have broken the camel’s back.
Caught off guard by news of the new increase, drivers in Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown and Western Rural headquarters, Waterloo had previously decided to snub Hastings tollgate to render government’s decision meaningless.
A Waterloo driver, Alimamy Kamara is one of those ready to take part in the boycott as he explains how the snub of the toll gate would look like had the plan gone ahead. Accord to the plan, kamara says“on a daily basis, drivers from waterloo would stop half-way at Rogbangba community very close to the Hastings tollgate while those from Freetown would stop at Hastings junction.” In such a situation, the passengers are the innocent victims as they will have to bear the brunt.
Mohamed Kargbo, a Freetown driver also vented out similar concerns about the high increase which, he said, would badly affect them. Kargbo resides in Freetown but plies Freetown-Waterloo highway and does not hesitate taking part in any action to reverse the price for the public to have a smooth ride.
“I will support colleague drivers to drive away from the Hastings tollgate since it is not in our interest,” he said. For other drivers, snub of the gate is not enough but a sit-at-home would provide the right answer.
According to an old driver, Amadu Turay, no driver should go out on the street as a way of resisting government’s tough measures on the toll. Turay’s stance seems to have rhymed with the call by Native Consortium’s Executive Director, Edmond Abu who said drivers should sit at home and not take to the streets. A sit-at-home, he says, could be the best option as it sharply reduces government’s revenue.
Other drivers however disagree with those calling for sit-at-home as they see street protest as the only way out for a change of government decision.
Drivers are not alone in the protest as CRSG employees also threaten a sit-at-home if their salaries and other welfare issues are not addressed.
However, none of the employees have spoken to this press, but the protest is expected next Friday when the new increase takes effect. The workers’ threats to protest have been repeatedly made before government announced the high tax rate.
They have been complaining, on several occasions, that their pay is little compared to their work. They endure the heat of the day and the cold of the night at the toll gate, but their take home packages could not take them home.
Although parliament appears to have halted the new increase, there is widespread fear that government may reintroduce same in the near future as it desperately needs money to steer the ship of state.
Its decision to raise fares for commuters within the city and frequent price hikes for fuel (petroleum and diesel) are signs that government would not easily back out from any deal that would put money in the public purse.